Garment support

ABSTRACT

A garment support for use in a carton includes a support bar and inverted channel-shaped brackets secured at opposite ends to the support bar. A cross connection is provided through the interior of the channel, to prevent spreading of the channel and to anchor the garment support in notches of the carton. In a preferred embodiment the support bar passes through an opening in inner channel walls and is secured to outer channel walls. Also, in a preferred embodiment the bracket has tabs which engage in openings in the ends of a clamping strip and extend over the top of the clamping strip to hold it in place and lock coat hangers in position.

United States Patent lnventor James T. Vosbikian 7857 Horrocks Street, Philadelphia, Pa. 19162 Appl. No. 878,314 Filed Nov. 20, 1969 Patented Jan. 11, 1972 GARMENT SUPPORT 5 Claims, 18 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 211/124, 206/7 A Int. Cl A47k 10/04 Field of Search 206/7 A; 21 1/124, 123, 105.1; 248/223, 226; 287/205, 20.3; 85/71, 70

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 10/1967 Feder 211/123 3,380,596 4/1968 Crowl 21 l/123 3,519,139 7/1970 Brennan 211/124 FOREIGN PATENTS 145,336 2/1952 GreatBritain 287/203 Primary ExaminerRamon S. Britts Attorneylackson, Jackson and Chovanes ABSTRACT: A garment support for use in a carton includes a support bar and inverted channel-shaped brackets secured at opposite ends to the support bar. A cross connection is provided through the interior ofthe channel, to prevent spreading of the channel and to anchor the garment support in notches of the carton. In a preferred embodiment the support bar passes through an opening in inner channel walls and is secured to outer channel walls. Also, in a preferred embodiment the bracket has tabs which engage in openings in the ends of a clamping strip and extend over the top of the clamping strip to hold it in place and lock coat hangers in position.

PATENIEU mu 1 i972 SHEET 1 BF 3 wrwme JAMES T. VOSBIKlAN QLQMM Willi/ PATENTED m1 1 I972 33533760 SHEET 2 [IF 3 m/nswme JAMES T. VOSBIKIAN PATENTED JMH I 1572 SHEET 3 BF 3 //Vl /Vf0,e JAMES T. VOSBlKiAN B GARMENT summer The present invention relates to a garment support for use in a carton for shipping clothing, particularly men 's suits, ladies dresses, and men's and ladies coats.

A purpose of the invention is to provide inverted channelshaped brackets at the end of a support bar secured to the support bar, and to cross brace the sides of the channels to prevent spreading of the channels.

A further purpose is to cut openings in the inner channel walls and extend the support bar through the openings and secure the ends of the support bar to the outer channel walls, as by interlocking tabs. In doing this the opening through the inner channel walls desirably closely conforms to the support bar so as to prevent spreading of the inner channel walls.

A further purpose is to guard against shifting of the support bar frontwards or backwards when the carton is lying on its side by providing notches in the carton and cross connections through the interior of the channels in the channel-shaped brackets.

A further purpose is to secure a clamping strip on top of the support bar by tabs lanced wholly from the brackets, engaging in opening near the ends of the clamping strips and extending on top of the clamping strips.

A further purpose is to provide a cross connection through the interior of the channel-shaped brackets which is capable of cutting a notch in the carton.

A further purpose is to provide tabs extending inwardly from the outer channel walls of the brackets and interconnecting with the ends of the support bar extending through openings in the inner channel walls.

A further purpose is to reduce the gage of the sheet metal used in making a garment support by providing a stronger cross connection between the outside channel walls of the brackets at the opposite ends.

Further purposes appear in the specification and in the claims.

In the drawings I have chosen to illustrate a few only of the many embodiments in which the invention may appear, selecting the forms shown from the standpoints of convenience in illustration, satisfactory operation and clear demonstration of the principles involved.

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary exploded perspective of the preferred embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective of the assembled garment support of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view of one end of the garment support of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary exploded elevation of one end of the garment support of FIG. 1, illustrating the clamping strip about to be placed in the position shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary section on the line 5-5 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary section on the line 66 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary outside elevation of the bracket and adjoining portion of the carton of FIG. 1.

FIG. 8 is a section on the line 8-8 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary plan section on the line 9-9 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary plan view of a modified garment support of the invention.

FIG. 11 is a section on the line 11-11oflFlG. 10.

FIG. 11a is a section on the line Ila-11a of FIG. 11, showing only the rivet.

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary plan view of a further modified form of the invention.

FIG. 13 is a section on the line 13-13 ofFIG. 12.

FIG. 14 is a fragmentary plan view of a further modification of the device of the invention.

FIG. 15 is a section on the line 1515 of FIG. 14.

FIG. 16 is a fragmentary plan view of a further modification of the device of the invention.

FIG. 17 is a section on the line 17-17 ofFlG. 16.

In the prior art garment supports have frequently been provided to fit in cartons and in some cases channel-shaped brackets are located at the ends. One of the difficulties has been that the sides of the channels are subject to load lengthwise of the support bar and the channels have opened up and lost their attachment to the carton. Also, in some cases when the carton rests on its front or backwall, there has been a tendency for the brackets to slide along the edge of the carton and allow the garments to crush, losing the benefit of the previous pressing.

Considering first the form of FIGS. 1-9, a support bar 30 suitably formed of sheet metal, as by bending it into an inverted channel or box section, has preferably a flat top and vertical sides over which the hook 31 of garment hangers 32 can engage. At each end of the support bar there is a bracket 33 of inverted channel-shape provided as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 with an upper horizontal portion 34, an outside wall 35 which is outside the carton and an inside wall 36 which is inside the carton.

The bracket has in line with the support bar an opening 37 extending through its inner channel wall 36, best seen in FIGS. 6 and 8, which permits the end of the support bar 30 to engage the outer channel wall 35. At the outer channel wall there are openings 38 through which tabs 40 on the ends of the support bars extend. The tabs 40 as best seen in FIG. 4 are bent outward at 41 and then in prolongation of the direction of the support bar at 42 and then bent inward or back on themselves at 43 after they have passed through the openings 38 in the outer wall of the channel.

As will be seen in FIG. 8, the opening 37 has recesses 44 to pass the outwardly bent portions 41 of the tabs, but closely conforms to the section of the support bar 30 as best seen in FIG. 8 at the other points 45 so as to brace the inner wall of the channel against deflection inward.

A carton 50 has end walls 51, sidewalls 52, end flaps 53 and side flaps 54. Notches 55 are made in the carton near the upper edge, either through the end wall or preferably through the end wall and the end flap as shown so that the end flap is held between the outer and inner walls of the channel bracket near the top and then is permitted to fold at 56 and 57 to extend over the top of the carton for the purpose of closing it.

The notch 55 in the preferred embodiment of FIGS. 1-9 is large enough to pass the cross section of the support bar where it extends through the space inside the channel bracket, thus firmly anchoring the support bar against moving backward or forward, while the inner and outer walls of the channel at each end anchor the support bar against movement endwise, and the closed flaps of the carton prevent dislodging the support bar from the notch 55.

Lanced from the bracket 33 and taken out of the metal removed to make the opening 37 in the inner channel wall, holddown tabs 60 are provided. A clamping strip 61 extends longitudinally above the support bar 30 and engages the hooks 31 to lock them in place, the clamping strip 61 being provided near its ends with openings or preferably notches 62 which receive the holddown tabs 60 as it is bent inwardly to lie along the top of the clamping bar as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.

In operation of the preferred form of FIGS. 1 to 9, with the carton open and the notches cut in it, the garment support is inserted as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 until it fits in the notches and the brackets extend on each side of the carton at the ends. The tabs 60 are then upstanding. In this position the garments and their hangers are inserted by hooking the hangers over the support bar. When the carton has been fully loaded, a clamping strip is placed above the support bar and over the tops of the hanger hooks, and the tabs 60 at each end are bent inwardly and downwardly until they engage in the recesses or notches 62 and extend along the top of the support bar. Then the carton can be closed in the usual manner by folding its flaps into place and securing them.

FIGS. 10, 11 and 11a illustrate a modified device of the invention. In this case the support bar 30' has tabs at its ends which are bent outwardly at 71, then in prolongation of the support bar at 72 to pass through openings 73 in the inner channel wall and then are bent inwardly or on themselves at 74 to lock the support bar to the brackets. At the lower part of the bracket openings 75 are provided in the inner and outer channel walls and a rivet 76 is inserted to brace the opposite walls of the channel against spreading. As shown in FIG. 11a the rivet 76 suitably has at its bottom edge a sharp or cutting edge 77 so that it is not necessary to precut a notch in the box as previously shown at 55, since the rivets can cut their own notches and thus the garment support can be positioned on the carton.

In this particular form the clamping strip 61 has an opening 62 near its end which receives a tab 60' which may be in this case lanced from the support bar to lock the clamping strip in place over the books, not shown.

In the form of FIGS. 12 and 13 a wooden support bar 30 is used which extends through an opening 37 in the inner channel wall 36, and is held in place by a screw 80 passing through an opening in the outer channel wall. In this form the clamping strip 61 is held in place by screws 81.

In FIGS. 14 and 15 a different technique for interconnection between the support bar 30 and the bracket 33 is shown. In this case an opening 37 has been cut in the inner channel wall to admit the end of the support bars 30 to engage tabs 83 lanced from the bracket and extending in the direction of the length of the support bar. The tabs and the support bar are held together by suitable fastening means, here shown as bolt 84 passing through suitable openings.

In the form of FIGS. 16 and 17 the same general manner of attachment has been used as in the form of FIGS. 1-9, except that not only side tabs 40 are employed but an upper tab 40' is also used. The tabs in each case are bent back on themselves as previously described.

In operation of the forms of FIGS. 10 to 17 inclusive, the same general technique is used as in the form of FIGS. 1 to 9, except that no notch needs to be previously cut for the carton when used in the form of FIGS. 10 and l1.

In view of my invention and disclosure, variations and modifications to meet individual whim or particular need will doubtless become evident to others skilled in the art, to obtain all or part of the benefits of my invention without copying the structure shown, and I therefore claim all such insofar as they fall within the reasonable spirit and scope of my claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a garment support for use in a carton, an elongated support bar having interlocking tabs on the ends of the support bar, inverted channel-shaped brackets at the ends of the support bar adapted to fit inside and outside the walls of the carton at each end, there being holes in the inner channel walls of the brackets through which the support bar extends clear to the ends and openings in the outer channel walls of the brackets through which the interlocking tabs connect, the tabs being bent at right angles to the lengths of the support bar both inside and outside the outer channel walls.

2. A garment support of claim 1, in which the walls of the holes through the inner channel walls in which the support bar extends closely lit the support bar to prevent the displacement of the inner channel walls. 3. A garment support of claim 2, in combination with a carton having notches in its opposite upper walls, the walls of the channel-shaped brackets being located inside and outside the walls of the carton at both ends and the support bar extending through the notches.

4. A garment support of claim 3, in combination with a clamping strip extending over the support bar and having openings at its ends, and holddown tabs on the brackets extending into the openings and retaining the clamping strip.

5. A garment support of claim 4, in which the holddown tab is produced from metal taken out of the holes in the inner channel walls of the brackets. 

1. In a garment support for use in a carton, an elongated support bar having interlocking tabs on the ends of the support bar, inverted channel-shaped brackets at the ends of the support bar adapted to fit inside and outside the walls of the carton at each end, there being holes in the inner channel walls of the brackets through which the support bar extends clear to the ends and openings in the outer channel walls of the brackets through which the interlocking tabs connect, the tabs being bent at right angles to the lengths of the support bar both inside and outside the outer channel walls.
 2. A garment support of claim 1, in which the walls of the holes through the inner channel walls in which the support bar extends closely fit the support bar to prevent the displacement of the inner channel walls.
 3. A garment support of claim 2, in combination with a carton having notches in its opposite upper walls, the walls of the channel-shaped brackets being located inside and outside the walls of the carton at both ends and the support bar extending through the notches.
 4. A garment support of claim 3, in combination with a clamping strip extending over the support bar and having openings at its ends, and holddown tabs on the brackets extending into the openings and retaining the clamping strip.
 5. A garment support of claim 4, in which the holddown tab is produced from metal taken out of the holes in the inner channel walls of the brackets. 